Crock Pot Cookery.

I've tried two new Crock Pot recipes in the past 2 days! Just call me Kelly Homemaker...I can throw ingredients in a pot and let 'em cook.

Recipe #1 was Garlic Crock Pot Chicken:

1-1 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces
1 c. packed brown sugar
2/3 c. vinegar
1/4 c. lemon-lime soda (7UP diet or regular)
2-3 T. minced garlic
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. pepper

Place chicken in crockpot. Combine other ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

This would have turned out better than it did, except for the fact that when I wrote the recipe down, I wrote a TABLESPOON of pepper. In case you'd never had a look at a tablespoon of pepper, it's a lot. So it turned out really, um, peppery. Aside from that, thought, it wasn't bad. The chicken was a little dry (I used 3 breasts), so next time, I'll probably add a little chicken broth as well. Despite my heavy-handedness with the pepper, Jon thought this one was good. "Three and a half stars," he says.

Today, I tried Amazing Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker:

1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup water
3/4 cup red wine
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet. Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat. Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast during cooking as possible. Sprinkle with pepper, cover, and cook on low setting for 4 hours. Serve with cooking liquid on the side as au jus.

I thought this one was better than the chicken, although I wouldn't call it amazing. I couldn't find our fresh garlic, so I just used garlic powder. I went a little easier on the pepper after the previous day's experience. The pork came out tender, and had a good flavor. Even though I was happier with this meal, Jon wasn’t as impressed, and actually preferred the chicken. “Two stars” was the rating for the pork.

I would cook both recipes again, with a few tweaks.